Jain Ramayana Part 1

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 20

8
JAIN RAMAYAN
daughter and to humiliate him, by inflicting upon him some dreadful punishment. He grew restless with this thought.
Instantaneously, the drums of war were beaten. Ratnapur and the surrounding areas were shaken by the sounds of the divine trumpets whose sounds echoed through the limitless skies. Pushpottar Vidyadhar put on his armour and got ready for a war. Taking up deadly weapons; and leading a vast army, he pursued Shrikant. Shrikant knew very well that Pushpottar would come chasing him; so he travelled with the speed of wind, reached Lanka and met his brother-in-law.
He narrated to Kirtidhaval, in detail, the story of his loveaffair with Padma and the manner in which he had brought her with him. He also told him that Pushpottar Vidyadhar was following him with a vast army, at a tremendous speed.
Kirtidhaval received Shrikant and Padma with cordiality. He told Shrikant to be calm and unperturbed.
Pushpottar, the emperor of Vidyadhars came pursuing Shrikant like a whirlwind, shattering all defences to pieces. He brought with him a vast army comprising countless soldiers, horses and elephants. His vast army extended as far as the eye could see. It was impossible to count the number of soldiers on foot. Pushpottar Vidyadhar was burning with terrific anger. In a way Shrikant had added insult to his injury. When he had sought alliance with him asking him to give his daughter, Devi in marriage to his son, he had severely admonished him and insulted him. Was this a small thing? Added to this, now, Shrikant had abducted his dear daughter. As a result of all this, his anger knew no bounds.
But Kirtidhaval was a master of ethical excellence and propriety besides possessing incisive intelligence. He wanted to settle the matter patiently and peacefully instead of violently retaliating against him. He did not want to use the principle of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth", but to settle the matter amicably without causing offence to anyone. He was planning to ward off the impending calamity in a skilful manner. He desired to prevail upon Pushpottar Vidyadhar to see reason and thus to extinguish the raging flames of his recalcitrant anger. 5 bes